Religious testimony at football camp is not OK (October 2, 2018)

Athletic coaches in an Oklahoma district will be advised not to involve their students with religious camps after an FFRF complaint.

In June, a complainant reported that the Keys High School football team in Park Hill, Okla., attended a football “team” camp at Hackett High School in Arkansas. At the camp, the players were reportedly subjected to religious “testimony” by evangelist Tyson Simon, an area representative for the Western Arkansas Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

FFRF wrote to the district to remind it that its football program should not be used as a captive audience for evangelists.

The school district’s counsel sent a reply to FFRF, stating that while the coaches of the Keys School District were unaware that the intention was to include religious messages in the camp, the school district has taken measures to insure this violation will not recur.